It would seem so, according to the tackling efficiency statistics posted by Pro Football Focus earlier this week. Three Titans — Moise Fokou, Akeem Ayers and Colin McCarthy — rank among the bottom six linebackers in the NFL in tackling efficiency, which PFF computes by taking a player’s attempted tackles and dividing them by missed tackles.

Coach Mike Munchak said that for the most part, his team has done a better job tackling this season than the past two years.

“I think the last couple games, down in the red zone, we haven’t tackled as well as we need to,” he said. “I think it was more about guys being out of position, about guys not hitting the right gap.”

Opponents have scored touchdowns on 10 of their last 12 trips into the red zone, and nine of those touchdowns were scored on the ground.

“I was bragging a few weeks ago that the biggest difference this year to past is that the communication has been so good, and guys were in position and tackled better,” Munchak said. “But the last few games, we’ve had some issues where guys were out of position a little bit and that led to us missing tackles.

“Now some backs are going to run you over and make you look bad at times, and guys will make you miss. That’s part of it, too. But I don’t think we’ve been as consistent (recently) … and we have to clean that up, in that part of the field especially.”

]]>http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/11/21/pff-titans-lbs-missing-tackles/feed/0Injury report for Thursdayhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/10/31/titans-injury-report-for-thursday-16/
http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/10/31/titans-injury-report-for-thursday-16/#commentsThu, 31 Oct 2013 21:19:03 +0000JIM WYATT, The Tennesseanhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/?p=27382Middle linebacker Moise Fokou (knee) sat out practice again on Thursday and isn’t expected to play on Sunday against the Rams. Colin McCarthy would get his second straight start in Fokou’s place.

Safety Michael Griffin (quad) did not practice and is questionable for Sunday’s game.

Defensive end Kamerion Wimbley was excused for personal reasons, but is expected to play.

Tackle David Stewart (shoulder) returned to practice but was limited.

Rookie receiver Justin Hunter (finger) was added to the injury report, but he practiced fully and is expected to play.

]]>http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/10/31/titans-injury-report-for-thursday-16/feed/0McCarthy won’t take it easy on Cookhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/10/31/colin-mccarthy-wont-take-it-easy-on-cook/
http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/10/31/colin-mccarthy-wont-take-it-easy-on-cook/#commentsThu, 31 Oct 2013 15:43:02 +0000JIM WYATT, The Tennesseanhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/?p=27364Rams tight end Jared Cook will square off against his former teammates on Sunday, but he shouldn’t expect his old buddies to take it easy on him.

“Obviously he played here, and he has some bitter feelings about the Titans and what they did to him I guess,’’ middle linebacker Colin McCarthy said. “But at the end of the day, it is our job to stop him … and if he comes across the middle guys will put shots on him.”

Cook, who played for the Titans from 2009-12, has 29 catches for 375 yards and two touchdowns with the Rams, who gave him a five-year, $35 million contract.

“I think he is going to come ready to play, he is going to come hungry – that is expected,’’ McCarthy said. “But beyond Jared Cook and the previous players from here than play there, this is a game we need to win.”

Cook is one of four former Titans with the Rams – cornerback Cortland Finnegan, defensive end William Hayes and linebacker Will Witherspoon are the others.

The Titans have 16 players who played for former Titans coach Jeff Fisher, who’s in his second year with the Rams.

Titans safety Bernard Pollard said no one needs to take sentimental feelings into the game: “They better check that at the door, because we have a game to go win.”

]]>http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/10/31/colin-mccarthy-wont-take-it-easy-on-cook/feed/0Britt still fourth in WR rotationhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/10/21/britt-still-fourth-in-titans-receiver-rotation/
http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/10/21/britt-still-fourth-in-titans-receiver-rotation/#commentsMon, 21 Oct 2013 18:50:04 +0000JOHN GLENNON, The Tennesseanhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/?p=27279Here are a few snapcounts of interest from the Titans’ 31-17 loss to San Francisco on Sunday:

Kenny Britt got 19 snaps, a significant increase from the two he received the previous week in Seattle. But Britt – who caught one pass — was still the Titans’ fourth receiver, as his playing time was well behind that of Nate Washington (50 snaps), Kendall Wright (49) and Damian Williams (37). Rookie Justin Hunter got 10 snaps.

Running back Shonn Greene returned to the field for the first time since the season opener, but he only played two snaps, as opposed to the 15-20 that Mike Munchak had hoped for during the week. The Titans were in catch-up mode all afternoon against the 49ers and were only able to run the ball 12 times – with quarterback Jake Locker accounting for three of those on scrambles. Greene carried once for two yards.

For a team that talked a lot during the offseason about utilizing a lot of tight ends, the Titans have become pretty much totally reliant on Delanie Walker at that position. Walker played 55 of 59 offensive snaps, catching three passes for 52 yards. Meanwhile, tight end Craig Stevens totaled just 11 snaps and Taylor Thompson only two. Again, the fact the Titans were playing catch-up all afternoon no doubt factored into those numbers. Still, Walker is the only tight end to have caught a pass through seven weeks.

Defensive end Kamerion Wimbley continues to get very few snaps despite the fact he’s in the midst of a five-year, $35 million contract. Even with Derrick Morgan missing the game, Wimbley was on the field for just 12 plays on Sunday. That was fewer than all the other defensive ends, a group that included rookie Lavar Edwards (54 snaps), Ropati Pitoitua (41) and Karl Klug (28). Wimbley made two tackles.

Middle linebacker Colin McCarthy made his first start of the season a memorable one, as he never left the field on defense – no matter which package the Titans were using. McCarthy played all 65 snaps and recorded eight tackles, the second-highest figure on the team.

A captain and starter last season, he has been backing up Moise Fokou, who earned the middle linebacker job in training camp and is the team’s second-leading tackler through six games.

Fokou is now sidelined with a knee injury, however, so McCarthy will start on Sunday against the 49ers.

And on Wednesday, for the first time in what’s seemed like months, he was spotted with a smile on his face.

“It has been tough. It has been real tough,’’ said McCarthy, who missed nine games last season because of an ankle injury and concussion-related issues. “The whole situation … it was a rough year last year and rough this offseason, but it is the way it is. … Now, having the opportunity to get back and (start), I am happy about that. It is a big opportunity for me.”

McCarthy was a standout on special teams in recent weeks. So is there a chance McCarthy could keep the job when Fokou is healthy again?

“I don’t see why (not),’’ McCarthy said. “But that is not my decision. I am going to make a case for myself this Sunday, and hopefully we can get this win and get momentum going into the bye week.”

]]>http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/10/16/colin-mccarthy-has-reason-to-smile-again/feed/0McCarthy will start against 49ershttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/10/15/mccarthy-will-start-against-49ers/
http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/10/15/mccarthy-will-start-against-49ers/#commentsWed, 16 Oct 2013 00:59:32 +0000JOHN GLENNON, The Tennesseanhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/?p=27170Middle linebacker Colin McCarthy will make his first start of the season on Sunday.

Titans coach Mike Munchak said Tuesday on his weekly radio show that McCarthy will start in place of Moise Fokou, who suffered a knee injury in last Sunday’s loss to Seattle. Fokou had posted the second-most tackles (45) on the team and was tied for the team lead with two forced fumbles.

McCarthy was the team’s starting middle linebacker last year when healthy, but he only played in seven games due to an ankle injury and a concussion. He didn’t play in the team’s last four games in 2012.

McCarthy was competing with Fokou for the starting spot this year, but lost his chance at the spot when a hamstring injury sidelined him for much of training camp.

Munchak didn’t say Tuesday how long Fokou would be out, but he’d said Monday that the worst-case scenario for Fokou would be “week-to-week.”

]]>http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/10/15/mccarthy-will-start-against-49ers/feed/0Snap-count snapshothttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/10/14/snap-count-snapshot-for-titans/
http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/10/14/snap-count-snapshot-for-titans/#commentsMon, 14 Oct 2013 14:25:18 +0000JOHN GLENNON, The Tennesseanhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/?p=27154Here are some observations about snap counts in the Titans’ 20-13 loss to Seattle on Sunday:

The big one is obviously at wide receiver, where Kenny Britt got just two snaps. It appears that Britt’s critical third-down drop the previous week in Kansas City was indeed the last straw for offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, since Britt was healthy and practiced all week. Britt’s absence gave much more playing time to Damian Williams, who had 35 snaps, but didn’t result in much more for rookie Justin Hunter (6 snaps).

Defensive end Derrick Morgan’s shoulder injury limited him to 24 snaps. But that still didn’t mean a ton of playing time for veteran Kamerion Wimbley, who was on the field for just 17 snaps. Meanwhile, rookie defensive end Lavar Edwards – playing in just his second NFL game – got 36 snaps. He posted three tackles, but was called for a big offsides penalty in the fourth quarter.

Defensive tackle Sammie Hill was back in action for the first time in a month, but clearly still has a ways to go before he’s back to 100 percent. Hill, who’s been recovering from a high ankle sprain, played just four snaps.

Craig Stevens played 20 snaps and Taylor Thompson 15, but neither tight end was targeted in the passing game. That’s the way it’s gone all year for both players. Through six games, Stevens has been targeted twice for passes and has zero receptions. As for Thompson, the Titans haven’t thrown a ball to him yet this year.

The knee injury to starting middle linebacker Moise Fokou gave former starter Colin McCarthy a season-high 22 snaps on defense. He totaled one tackle, adding two more on special teams.

]]>http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/10/14/snap-count-snapshot-for-titans/feed/0Titans have no plans to bump Fokouhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/09/03/titans-have-no-plans-to-bump-fokou/
http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/09/03/titans-have-no-plans-to-bump-fokou/#commentsTue, 03 Sep 2013 16:27:46 +0000JIM WYATT, The Tennesseanhttp://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/?p=26463When the Titans kick off the season in Pittsburgh on Sunday, Moise Fokou will be the starting middle linebacker. Colin McCarthy, a starter and team captain last season, will be a reserve and a special teams player.

The Titans don’t plan on bumping Fokou any time soon. Said coach Mike Munchak: Fokou earned the position and there are no plans to replace him even as McCarthy gets healthier from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for much of the preseason.

“If Moise plays like we think he can, you hope not. You don’t have a crystal ball. I mean, can it happen? Sure. Anything’s possible,” Munchak said. “You want them both to play well and see what happens. For now, Moise’s played well. He took advantage of the situation he was given, and now we just have to see how we play as a unit.

“If guys don’t play well, then yes, you start looking for different combinations that maybe change the way we play. Hopefully, we’re not going to have that conversation. But, it happens at all positions, the offensive line, receiver, linebacker, defensive line. If guys that start the season don’t get the right fit, then you keep making adjustments. (McCarthy) just has to keep getting better, stay healthy, keep working, and he’s going to be a big part of us winning games.”

McCarthy missed nine games last season because of an ankle injury and a concussion. He missed three of the four preseason games this year.

The Titans planned on McCarthy starting in the middle even after they signed Fokou on March 14. Now, McCarthy is going to need patience.

“I think he is disappointed, I know I would be,” Munchak said. “Last year things were going my way and then injuries, injuries, injuries, and someone is ahead of me and I don’t like that.

“I hope he feels he’s as good as anybody we have, and he should be playing. Unfortunately he just has to work his way back to where we feel he can do all the things he needs to do on an everyday basis. … Right now he is not where he needs to be to be an every down guy.”

Titans coach Mike Munchak said Akeem Ayers (ankle) is expected to return to practice on Wednesday, but rookie Zaviar Gooden (foot) will likely be out for another week.

So the Titans will go into this week’s season opener with five linebackers, and three of them – Ayers, Brown and McCarthy – sat out large chunks of the preseason due to injury. Just for comparison’s sake, the Titans went into the 2012 season opener with seven healthy linebackers and used six.

“It has been (a concern) because all those guys have been nicked up,” Munchak said. “But we’ve got six guys we believe in … Five will be healthy and ready to go.”

As expected, Fokou will start at middle linebacker over McCarthy, who hadn’t played in a game since November of last year before suiting up for last Thursday’s preseason finale.

Could McCarthy earn back his starting role in time?

“If Moise plays like we think he can, you’d hope not,” Munchak said of changing starters. “But there’s no crystal ball and anything can happen. We want both to play well and see what happens.

“But for now, Moise’s played well. He took advantage of the situation he was given. Now we just have to see how we play as a unit. If guys don’t play well, then you start looking at different combinations.”